September 13, 1909.]
A NEW HEALTH RESORT,
VISIT TO CHEUNG CHAU.
An
American is reported to have discovered the
North Pole, and it is an American or Americans who discovered Cheung Chau. True, it has been in the possession of Great Britain for more than ten years, passing into our charge when the New Territories were leased from China, but its value as a health resort has only been realised a short time. Cheung Chau, or Dumb Bell Island, is known to most of us. On the trip to Macao we may have glanced at it, being attracted by its size or perhaps by the European houses situated on its breezy uplands, or a bathing excursion may have made us familiar with its shores.
way.
This island, one of the largest in the archi- pelago, possesses three names. The reason why Britons call it Dumb Bell island is apparent once you have looked over it. Two round ball- like pieces of land joined by a narrow strip suggest the instrument of exercise. On the other hand the Chinese name, Cheung Chan, which means Long Island, is no less appropriate. It was not called Long Island out of compliment to the American visitors. But that by the Until two years ago Cheung Chan was only known as a fairly large island in which resided an industrious fishing com- munity, but one or two men belonging to American missions in Canton and vicinity, anxious to secure a place more convenient than the missionary resort at Kuling in North China where they could recuperate and at the same time escape the sweltering summer in Chinese cities, sought for a suitable locality in the neighbourhood of Hongkong. Their search took them to Cheung Chan, with its high elevation, its lovely valleys, and its beautiful stretches of beach with their bathing facilities. As a steam launch service kept the islanders in communication with the outside world, which in the present instance is represented by Hong- kong, the men who had come to spy out the land decided in favour of Cheung Chau. Thus
was the island discovered.
was
Building lots were obtained at little more than nominal rates from the Hongkong Government, whose only stipulation that improvements to the extent of $2,000 should be made on each lot within two years. Two or three houses were erected in the course of that year, and the experience of these pioneers induced others to follow, until now there are eight houses completed, accommodating at the height of the season-July and August some sixty folks young and old. That is a substantial increase to the foreign population of any part of our dependency, and naturally it is not with- out effect on the little island community of Cheung Chan, who are not slow to appreciate at least the material benefits which follow such an innovation.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
topees
229
HONGKONG ST. ANDREW'S SOCIETY.
The report of the Committee of the Hong- kong St. Andrew's Society, for presentation to the twenty-eighth Annual General Meeting to be held at the City Hall, on Thursday, 23rd
to
Your Committee have pleasure in presenting you their Annual Report and Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st August, 1909. The balance at the credit of the Society now stands at $3,876.28.
Ball, which proved most successful.
St. Andrew's Day, 1908, was celebrated by a
enroll new members, and resulted in 52 new A special effort was made during the year to
members joining the Society, as against 11 in the previous year.
slanting rays are intercepted by the little headland, there may be seen men and women attired in bathing costumes and topees, accompanied by their children, also ready for the water, wending their way down the slopes of the island to the beautiful little stretch of white sand, which is now recognised and reser-inst., states:-- ved as the foreign bathing place. Paterfamilias may perhaps carry an umbrella which he sticks in the sand and deposits his thereon. Others merely kick off their shoes and rush into the water, and soon the tones of childish glee mingle with the happy laughter of the older folks as they all disport themselves in the briny. It is a delightful sight. It does one good to see so many happy folks, and when one has enjoyed a swim there and climbed a hill in the same light attire in which he came down and has dressed in the comfort of the house, then one has tasted something of the joy which Cheung Chan offers to the visitor or more particularly to the summer resident. To inhale its fresh breezes laden with health-giving ozone, to sit in a chair in the cool and calm of the evening and come under its rest- ful spell, to gaze over the beautiful little harbour with its forest of masts into the blushing heavens, or to turn the eyes towards Hongkong and look at the glittering lights of the Peak- these are a few of the pleasures of this island life. And then to sleep on a bed which needs no mosquito net. That is indeed a pleasure.
The entrance fee is only $5.00, and the Annual Subscription $2.00, and as it is from this income chiefly that charity cases are assisted, the Committee would specially ask the aid of members in securing new members.
The membership of 17 life members and 262 ordinary members, 279 in all. During the year a larger number than usual of applications for assistance from the Charity Fund were received, and after full investigation grants-in-aid were given amounting in all to $1,358.33. Other applicants were assisted in finding employment.
Messrs. Robert Mitchell and C. H. Ross resigned their places on the General Committee on their departure from the Colony, and Mr. G. M. Dalgety replaced Mr. A. S. Fraser as Hon. Treasurer, on the latter leaving the Colony.
The Committee deeply regret to have to record the deaths during the year of the follow- ing members :-George Murray Bain, H. W Fraser, Dr. W. Hunter A. S. Latto, O. D. Thomson and R. D. Watt.
the Society and for many years was a member Mr. Murray Bain was an original member of
of the General Committee, and Mr. H. W.. Fraser was Hon. Secretary during the years 1893-1894. Both did excellent work for the Society.
The report is signed by Mr. J. R. M. Smith, Chairman, and Mr. David Wood, Hon. Secretary,
CHOLERA IN THE NORTH.
One cannot omit from a description of a visit to Cheung Chau a reference to the repre- sentative of law and order. A hospitable Scottish police sergeant looks after the interests of this peaceful community and takes a pride in its welfare. As policeman his duties do not seem onerous if the records of prosecutions be taken as a guide, but he doubtless does something to prevent crime. What delights the visitor is to find a little post office with all its equipment of post marks, dates, stamps, and so on. It is like a toy post office, but it is a boon to the foreign residents. In addi- tion to being postmaster, the sergeant is a functionaire of the Harbour Office, and is respon- sible for the collection of no small amount of dues from the shipping. Another of his duties is that of land officer and he may be seen acting as auctioneer as well. Although the Sanitary Board has no jurisdiction here sanitation is not quite neglected, and the weekly cleansing carried out by the police officer raises Cheung Chan far above the level of the ordinary Chinese village in re- spect of cleanliness. It seems a happy little community, and credit should not be withheld from Sergeant Gordon, who has doubtles improved on the good work accomplished by his pre- decessors. Certainly his tactful administration is appreciated by both foreigners and Chinese. What the American visitors have done surely suggests ideas to some of our residents who can afford to live out of the city. Cheung Chau is only an hour's sail from Hongkong. It has three or four launches running daily. It has cheap building sites, and it has good watering from the same symptoms. What more is wanted? If the distance is too great for the busy commercial man to cover daily, its suitability for week-end pleasure need not be overlooked. Although there are no roads on the island the Government might come to the assistance of residents when the number of houses is greater. Still that is a detail. It is no detraction from the rural delights of Cheung Chau. While suggesting a future for the island it might be as well to mention some of the ideas of the missionaries on the subject. They hope to obtain from the Government a portion of land which could be utilised as a public place of recreation, with a tennis court, and they have ambitions for an assembly hall or school where their children could be taught. By and by, they would like to import one or two public chairs. From all this it will seen that American enterprise will do as much as possible at its limited command to develop the island and make it attractive, as a health resort. Dr. Macracken, of the Canton Medical College, is quite enthusisastic over the island and its pos-
Cheung Chan should become better known.
In addition to the death at Chefoo of the columns, we note that the rev. gentleman's wife Rev. Geo. Cornwell,, already announced in our has died, as well as a little girl named Fergus- and Mrs. Cornwell were temporarily residing. son who had visited the house in which Mr. A Russian visitor has also died of cholera.-
At Shanghai Mr. Coath, the Superintendent Goddard, an eye specialist who lived with him, of the Commercial Pacific Cable Co., and Dr.
A German resident, Mr. Georg Hirt, also died died in hospital on the same day from cholera.
last week from the same disease. Two other are not given have been admitted into the Isolation Hospital suffer-
foreigners whose names
T
THE NEW CHINESE MINISTER TO WASHINGTON.
Chang Yin Tang is the new Chinese Minister to Washington. His official record is that he accompanied H.E. Tang Shao Yi to Calcutta in 1904, when the Tibet Convention was negotiated. He was appointed Special Commissioner to investigate affairs in Tibet in 1905, and became Assistant Resident in Tibet in December, 1906. In 1907-8 he negotiated the Tibet Trade Regulations as Chinese Plenipotentiary, and in July, 1908, he became an acting Junior Councillor in the Board of Foreign Affairs at Peking.
In addition to the eight houses built, two others are in course of construction, and six building lots have been let which must have the necessary improvements carried out within a year. That means that in about twelve months time there will be sixteen European houses erected on. Cheung Chan-a big difference to the island. Several of the houses are built of brick, in others a locally made concrete has been employed, and in one instance, if not more, stone has been used. Labour on the island is cheap, and the dwelling houses have been completed at what must be regarded as reasonable figures. Of course in some cases experience has been rather dearly bought, and one of the earlier houses was wrecked by a typhoon. The bungalow style is universal, and the low, strongly-built structures look as if they would withstand the fiercest wind that blows. To this end verandahs have been omitted from every plan, though it is said that one house possesses a verandah which either through the mistake of the Chinese builder or the amateurish efforts of the architect is inside. Whether it be true or not, the writer cannot say, but it is part of the gossip of the island. Roads there are none, but a few paths have been cut, and these give sibilities, and with him as leader in the movement enterprise to intercept the Yunnan trade w ready communication from one part to another.
The feature of life at Cheung Chau which will appeal to most people is the general or communal bathing. Just when the sun begins to drop in the west and his
•
His Excellency the Governor has issued invitations for an At Home" at Mountain Lodge on Wednesday next.
>
The outlook for the Yunnan Railway is be- coming more and more discouraging, L'Annam- Tonkin, a newspaper published at Haiphong, says that British traders profit more by the railway than French business men in Tonkin. The latter have neither the spirit nor the
Hongkong. The result is that the railway carries British goods more than French wares. That journal traces it all to lack of money and want of combination in French commercial circles at Haiphong.
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